What happens to stars like the Sun?

What happens to stars like the Sun when they run out of fuel?

When stars like the Sun exhaust their nuclear fuel, they undergo a series of changes, eventually becoming red giants.

What does it mean for a star to become a red giant?

A red giant is a late stage in a star's life where it expands and cools after hydrogen in its core is depleted.

And what happens after the red giant phase?

After the red giant phase, the star will shed its outer layers, creating a planetary nebula, while the core remains as a white dwarf.

How long does this entire process take?

The process from main sequence to red giant and then to white dwarf can take billions of years, typically around 10 billion years for stars like the Sun.